Shelldock Isle MTG Card
2007-10-12 - Number 272
2019-12-02 - Number 437
2019-12-02 - Number 230
2020-09-26 - Number LRW-272
| Card sets | Released in 4 setsSee all |
| Rarity | Rare |
| Type | Land |
| Abilities | Hideaway |
Text of card
Hideaway (This land comes into play tapped. When it does, look at the top four cards of your library, remove one from the game face down, then put the rest on the bottom of your library.) : Add to your mana pool. , : You may play the removed card without paying its mana cost if a library has twenty or fewer cards in it.
Cards like Shelldock Isle
Shelldock Isle is an intriguing land card in Magic: The Gathering that invites comparison with other hideaway lands, such as Howltooth Hollow or Windbrisk Heights. Like these, Shelldock Isle allows you to hide away a card, with a condition set to unlock it. However, Shelldock Isle distinguishes itself by having a potentially lower activation requirement: when a library has twenty or fewer cards in it, which can lead to earlier strategic plays in a game.
Spinerock Knoll is another land card with the hideaway mechanic, requiring you to deal 7 damage to an opponent to reveal the stashed card. While this can align well with aggressive playstyles, Shelldock Isle caters more to control strategies where the game is drawn out, thus thinning the decks naturally. Mosswort Bridge, on a similar note, asks for a creature with a total power of 10 or more. Shelldock Isle has the advantage of not relying on the board state like Mosswort Bridge does, offering a unique angle in games that drag on or where milling is a tactic.
To sum up, among hideaway land cards, Shelldock Isle stands out by offering access to hidden cards via a library-size condition, presenting interesting tactical advantages in long-drawn matches and mill-centric decks in Magic: The Gathering.
Cards similar to Shelldock Isle by color, type and mana cost
Decks using this card
MTG decks using Shelldock Isle. Dig deeper into the strategy of decks, sideboard cards, list ideas and export to play in ARENA or MOL.
| # | Name | Format | Archetype | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Dimir Mill | Modern | Mill | Modern League 2024-04-15 |
| Azorius Mill | Modern | Mill | Modern Challenge 64 2024-04-28 |
 | Doomsday | Legacy | Ad Nauseam Tendrils | Charlotte Legacy League Season 2 Week 3 |
Card Pros
Card Advantage: Shelldock Isle comes with a hidden boon – it tucks away a card underneath it upon entering the battlefield. As the game progresses and your library diminishes, it unveils its real power, allowing you to play that card without paying its mana cost. This can flip the script in your favor, giving you a crucial edge by effectively drawing you an extra card at no additional expense when you least expect it.
Resource Acceleration: In a game where timing is everything, Shelldock Isle serves as a surprising form of resource acceleration. Despite not providing you with an immediate extra land drop, its ability to cheat out a high-cost card early in the game can significantly advance your board state. This unpredictable play can leave opponents scrambling to deal with an unforeseen threat or advantageous effect far sooner than they anticipated.
Instant Speed: One of the most strategic aspects of Shelldock Isle is its capacity to execute its ability at instant speed. This enables you to end-of-turn activate it, keeping your resources and options versatile throughout the entire round. Whether it’s during your opponent’s end step or in response to an action, being able to spring a powerful card on the battlefield instantaneously can completely alter the state of play.
Card Cons
Discard Requirement: Shelldock Isle demands a considerable number of cards in the graveyard to activate its ability. This requirement could force premature discards or specific deck-building strategies that detract from other game plans.
Specific Mana Cost: As a land card, Shelldock Isle enters the battlefield tapped unless you control two or fewer other lands. This specific condition means you cannot benefit from its mana or its mysterious hidden-away card on the turn it’s played, potentially slowing down your tempo.
Comparatively High Mana Cost: The hidden-away card feature of Shelldock Isle also comes with a high activation cost. Accessing the exiled card requires you to have an opponent with 20 or fewer cards in their library, which can be a challenging criterion to meet, especially in the early or mid-game when mana resources are pivotal. Other land cards or spells offer immediate benefits without such stringent requirements, making them potentially more attractive options for many deck types.
Reasons to Include Shelldock Isle in Your Collection
Versatility: Shelldock Isle offers a unique land choice that caters to various deck types. Its ability to hide away a card and then play it at a reduced cost adds strategic depth to control and combo decks.
Combo Potential: This land shines in combination with library manipulation and graveyard strategies, enabling players to set up powerful plays. It pairs exceptionally well with cards that allow for deck searching, ensuring that the hidden away card can be a game-changer.
Meta-Relevance: In formats where games tend to go longer, such as Modern or Legacy, Shelldock Isle’s impact grows. As players reach the late game and libraries get thinner, its condition becomes easier to meet, potentially giving access to high-impact spells that can turn the tide of the game.
How to beat
Shelldock Isle holds a unique position as a land card with potential to change the tides of a game in Magic: The Gathering. Operating under the hideaway mechanic, this card allows you to tuck away one of the top four cards of your library and, once conditions are met – having an opponent with 20 or fewer cards in their library – you can play it without paying its mana cost. This often results in powerful, game-swinging plays.
To effectively tackle Shelldock Isle’s threat, you need to employ strategies that either deny the triggering condition or disrupt the card’s ability to execute its effect. This can involve increasing your opponent’s library size, using cards like Gaea’s Blessing or campaigned graveyard shuffling strategies to keep their library count above the threshold. Alternatively, land destruction effects or cards that specifically target non-basic lands, such as Ghost Quarter or Field of Ruin, can remove Shelldock Isle directly from the battlefield, preventing its hideaway card from ever being played for free.
Employing these tactics neutralizes the advantage Shelldock Isle provides, ensuring the stability of your strategy against this hidden menace. In a game where even a single turn can determine the victor, nullifying this card’s potential is crucial to maintaining control of the match.
Where to buy
If you're looking to purchase Shelldock Isle MTG card by a specific set like Lorwyn and Secret Lair Drop, there are several reliable options to consider. One of the primary sources is your local game store, where you can often find booster packs, individual cards, and preconstructed decks from current and some past sets. They often offer the added benefit of a community where you can trade with other players.
For a broader inventory, particularly of older sets, online marketplaces like TCGPlayer, Card Kingdom and Card Market offer extensive selections and allow you to search for cards from specific sets. Larger e-commerce platforms like eBay and Amazon also have listings from various sellers, which can be a good place to look for sealed product and rare finds.
Additionally, Magic’s official site often has a store locator and retailer lists for finding Wizards of the Coast licensed products. Remember to check for authenticity and the condition of the cards when purchasing, especially from individual sellers on larger marketplaces.
Below is a list of some store websites where you can buy the Shelldock Isle and other MTG cards:
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- eBay
- Card Kingdom
- Card Market
- Star City Games
- CoolStuffInc
- MTG Mint Card
- Hareruya
- Troll and Toad
- ABU Games
- Card Hoarder Magic Online
- MTGO Traders Magic Online
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Printings
The Shelldock Isle Magic the Gathering card was released in 3 different sets between 2007-10-12 and 2019-12-02. Illustrated by 3 different artists.
| # | Released | Name | Code | Symbol | Number | Frame | Layout | Border | Artist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2007-10-12 | Lorwyn | LRW | 272 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Mark Tedin | |
| 2 | Secret Lair Drop | SLD | 437 | 2015 | Normal | Black | Amayagido | ||
| 3 | Secret Lair Drop | SLD | 230 | 2015 | Normal | Borderless | Marija Tiurina | ||
| 4 | The List | PLST | LRW-272 | 2003 | Normal | Black | Mark Tedin |
Legalities
Magic the Gathering formats where Shelldock Isle has restrictions
| Format | Legality |
|---|---|
| Commander | Legal |
| Legacy | Legal |
| Modern | Legal |
| Oathbreaker | Legal |
| Vintage | Legal |
| Duel | Legal |
| Predh | Legal |
Rules and information
The reference guide for Magic: The Gathering Shelldock Isle card rulings provides official rulings, any errata issued, as well as a record of all the functional modifications that have occurred.
| Date | Text |
|---|---|
| 2007-10-01 | It doesn’t matter which library has twenty or fewer cards in it, and you don’t have to specify a library. |